Ryan Lemmon statue embodies his life

Atop the highest point in Windrow Park, a figure kneels motionless while the ting of a metal bat meeting a baseball echoes through the evening air.

Back straight, knees bent, eyes locked on home plate, the bronze figure of Ryan Lemmon keeps watch over the stadium that bears his name.

The statue's expression is one of confidence, an eager willingness to face life head on. Yet his pose is one of humility, in stark contrast with many bat-meets-ball portrayals of baseball players. He directs his chest to the setting sun, welcoming all who cross the bridge from the main entrance to the park.

Lemmon died in a car accident in September 1994 after his freshman year of college. During high school, he was an accomplished player for the Woodbridge Warriors. Lemmon was a four-year varsity starter who held seven varsity records and played on every baseball diamond in Irvine at the time.

Following his death, Guy Lemmon, Ryan's father, established the Ryan Lemmon Foundation as a way of giving back to the athletic community.

The city named Windrow Park's main field Ryan Lemmon Stadium in spring 1995 in response to the community. The statue was put in afterward to recognize Lemmon while paying tribute to the virtues of youth athletics, which his father holds dear to this day.

Statue packed with symbolism, significance

The bat wielded by the statue is made to resemble a wooden bat, to symbolize the top echelon of baseball. Wooden bats are reserved for professional baseball players; amateurs traditionally use metal bats.

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With eyes locked directly on the home plate of Ryan Lemmon Stadium, it seems as if the figure is giving his full attention to the player at bat. The location of the statue was chosen so that when people walk in from the main entrance to the park, the statue is the first thing they see as they walk across the bridge toward the stadium.

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Baseball uniforms have been made out of double-knit polyester since the 1970s, but the shirt worn by the statue is made to look like the woolen uniforms of the 1920s and '30s.

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Though the pose of the statue is meant to portray a sense of humility, as opposed to the many monuments of baseball players hitting a ball out of the park, a second meaning emerges specific to baseball. When coaches have something important to impart to their players, they will tell them to “grab a knee.” This is precisely what the figure of the statue is doing, crouching down in a stance of readiness to learn.

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The shape of the pedestal surrounding the statue has the same proportions as a home plate.

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On the sides of the statue are plaques for awards given to exceptional players, including the Proud Warrior Award. Topping the display of these awards is a quote that Ryan Lemmon's coach, Vince Brown, made at his funeral: “Passion drives the person; it's the energy that propels you toward your goals. Ryan's passion was second to none. He was focused and determined and passion gave him his drive.” In turn, Guy Lemmon, Ryan's father, said this award is supposed to convey not just being an excellent athlete, but an exceptional person.

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The black granite of the monument's foundation represents earth, while the reddish marble is representative of the brick dust on a baseball field.

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The shoes on the statue are designed to look like the leather-soled shoes worn by the baseball players of the 1940s, complete with riveted cleats.

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The figure wears the number 16 on his back and the name Warriors across his chest. Ryan Lemmon wore No. 16 for the Woodbridge High Warriors.

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The foundation on which the figure stands is shaped like home plate and is exactly 180 degrees from the home plate of Ryan Lemmon Stadium. Just as the home plate of the baseball stadium opens to the field of “play,” the home plate of the monument is meant to open to the field of “life,” where the figure faces the setting sun. The two home plates working together serve as the bridge between life, experiences and athletics.

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Inscribed at the base of the statue is a poem written by Ryan Lemmon's parents, a reflection of their feelings about the value of athletics. It took them a year to write it after Ryan's death.

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Tufts of hair can be seen poking out of the front of the statue's hat. This is to help make the figure more relatable to children. Professional baseball players typically slick their hair back before putting their cap on front to back; younger players are more likely to simply plop the hat on top of their head, back to front, resulting in hair sticking out much like it does on the statue.